News (Media Awareness Project) - US NJ: Cheryl And Jim Miller: MJ vs. MS in NJ |
| Title: | US NJ: Cheryl And Jim Miller: MJ vs. MS in NJ |
| Published On: | 1998-01-30 |
| Source: | High Times |
| Fetched On: | 2008-09-07 16:16:02 |
FREEDOM FIGHTERS OF THE MONTH
CHERYL AND JIM MILLER: MJ VS. MS IN NJ
Trenton, NJ - Cheryl Miller rolled her hospital bed to the steps of the New
Jersey state capitol here last October, and, as two state troopers
approached, drank down a marijuana tincture mixed with orange Gatorade. She
was demonstrating marijuanas effectiveness in quelling the chronic muscle
spasticity associates with multiple sclerosis, a disease she was diagnosed
with 27 years ago.
I am in possession of an illegal marijuana product, her husband, Jim,
explained to the cops. I tot it and supplied it to my wife and she took
it. I think you should take it and have it tested and identified, so that
it can go on official record what exactly it is here that worked.
The Millers visit to Governor Christie Whitman, who says publicly that she
does not support medical marijuana, was one of many stops on the
Boston-to-Washington Wheelchair Crusade, a 450-mile peace walk and roll
for medical marijuana and ibogaine organized by Cures Not Wars.
The state troopers apparently didnt like the position the Millers put them
in, but it seems they were under orders not to arrest them, and wouldnt
take the remnants of the tincture of cannabis. As Jim put it, Cheryls
always in jail, what are they gonna do? Put her in a different bed in a
cell instead of at home or in the hospital?
Jim, a self-employed carpenter, sold all his tools so that they could pay
for hotel rooms and participate in the Journey. I can get my tools back,
but this may happen only once, he told HT.
Prior to the crusade, Cheryl hadnt been out overnight in over 10 years.
Ive been having a good time getting to talk to people and getting a
message across that desperately needs to be heard. If I can do that I
will, she explains. I am motivated by the hope that everyone with my
condition has the legal opportunity to try marijuana. I needed to do this
to help other people, and I felt that I could help. It was the most
important thing Ive ever done, except for having and raising my four kids,
whom Ive always wanted to set a good example for.
The Boston-to-Washington trek was not the Millers first medical-marijuana
march. In 1993, Jim pushed Cheryls wheelchair with a life-sized photo of
her in it 58 miles from their home in Seaside to Trenton.
We had all this info, he says, but the press isnt interested in facts,
theyre interested in stunts, so I decided to walk across the state on a
main road, where lots of people would see me. If the press wouldnt tell
anyone, I would. If they wouldnt put medical marijuana in the paper, I
would tell people myself.
Cheryl, 51, who has never been a recreational pot smoker, still doesnt
inhale because it hurts her throat, causing slight swelling. She has
difficulty coughing and blowing her nose, so smoking would exacerbate
aspects of her condition. But after a friend of Jims suggested eating
marijuana, she experimented with marinated-pot salad dressing and then
brownies. Both worked miraculously well.
She started taking Marinol in 1993, at an annual cost of $20,000 to the
state. Her average daily dosage is eight five-milligram tablets. The
Marinol helped wean her off Tranxene, a sedative-hypnotic tranquilizer. She
has also discontinued weekly steroid shots. Both have deleterious
side-effect like congestive heart failure and faulty liver function.
But the herb tincture, prepared in Humbolt County, CA, and passed to her
thru the New York City Cannabis Buyers Club, has the fastest, most extreme
results. After drinking it, says Jim, She started moving her right arm for
the first time in five years. Her average daily tincture dose is six to 10
drops a day, only because she is trying to conserve supplies. Twenty drops
works even better, explains Jim, but we dont want to run out, it is
expensive and comes from far away.
The thing about all this that gets me the most is that multiple sclerosis
is Jack Kevorkians single biggest client, he declares. The irony is that
if he knew about pot, he wouldnt be able to help people get it legally to
feel better, but he can help them die. And I have a better respect for life
from knowing Cheryl. She never complains like I do or says anything bad
about anyone, even people she should.
Thats kind of always been my job, he laughs.
Copyright 1997 by Trans-High Corporation. Redistributed by the Media
Awareness Project, Inc. by permission.
CHERYL AND JIM MILLER: MJ VS. MS IN NJ
Trenton, NJ - Cheryl Miller rolled her hospital bed to the steps of the New
Jersey state capitol here last October, and, as two state troopers
approached, drank down a marijuana tincture mixed with orange Gatorade. She
was demonstrating marijuanas effectiveness in quelling the chronic muscle
spasticity associates with multiple sclerosis, a disease she was diagnosed
with 27 years ago.
I am in possession of an illegal marijuana product, her husband, Jim,
explained to the cops. I tot it and supplied it to my wife and she took
it. I think you should take it and have it tested and identified, so that
it can go on official record what exactly it is here that worked.
The Millers visit to Governor Christie Whitman, who says publicly that she
does not support medical marijuana, was one of many stops on the
Boston-to-Washington Wheelchair Crusade, a 450-mile peace walk and roll
for medical marijuana and ibogaine organized by Cures Not Wars.
The state troopers apparently didnt like the position the Millers put them
in, but it seems they were under orders not to arrest them, and wouldnt
take the remnants of the tincture of cannabis. As Jim put it, Cheryls
always in jail, what are they gonna do? Put her in a different bed in a
cell instead of at home or in the hospital?
Jim, a self-employed carpenter, sold all his tools so that they could pay
for hotel rooms and participate in the Journey. I can get my tools back,
but this may happen only once, he told HT.
Prior to the crusade, Cheryl hadnt been out overnight in over 10 years.
Ive been having a good time getting to talk to people and getting a
message across that desperately needs to be heard. If I can do that I
will, she explains. I am motivated by the hope that everyone with my
condition has the legal opportunity to try marijuana. I needed to do this
to help other people, and I felt that I could help. It was the most
important thing Ive ever done, except for having and raising my four kids,
whom Ive always wanted to set a good example for.
The Boston-to-Washington trek was not the Millers first medical-marijuana
march. In 1993, Jim pushed Cheryls wheelchair with a life-sized photo of
her in it 58 miles from their home in Seaside to Trenton.
We had all this info, he says, but the press isnt interested in facts,
theyre interested in stunts, so I decided to walk across the state on a
main road, where lots of people would see me. If the press wouldnt tell
anyone, I would. If they wouldnt put medical marijuana in the paper, I
would tell people myself.
Cheryl, 51, who has never been a recreational pot smoker, still doesnt
inhale because it hurts her throat, causing slight swelling. She has
difficulty coughing and blowing her nose, so smoking would exacerbate
aspects of her condition. But after a friend of Jims suggested eating
marijuana, she experimented with marinated-pot salad dressing and then
brownies. Both worked miraculously well.
She started taking Marinol in 1993, at an annual cost of $20,000 to the
state. Her average daily dosage is eight five-milligram tablets. The
Marinol helped wean her off Tranxene, a sedative-hypnotic tranquilizer. She
has also discontinued weekly steroid shots. Both have deleterious
side-effect like congestive heart failure and faulty liver function.
But the herb tincture, prepared in Humbolt County, CA, and passed to her
thru the New York City Cannabis Buyers Club, has the fastest, most extreme
results. After drinking it, says Jim, She started moving her right arm for
the first time in five years. Her average daily tincture dose is six to 10
drops a day, only because she is trying to conserve supplies. Twenty drops
works even better, explains Jim, but we dont want to run out, it is
expensive and comes from far away.
The thing about all this that gets me the most is that multiple sclerosis
is Jack Kevorkians single biggest client, he declares. The irony is that
if he knew about pot, he wouldnt be able to help people get it legally to
feel better, but he can help them die. And I have a better respect for life
from knowing Cheryl. She never complains like I do or says anything bad
about anyone, even people she should.
Thats kind of always been my job, he laughs.
Copyright 1997 by Trans-High Corporation. Redistributed by the Media
Awareness Project, Inc. by permission.
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